Closure of river for NH-Maine bridge delayed

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — The U.S. Coast Guard has delayed the closure of the Piscataqua River near an old Maine-New Hampshire bridge that will soon be demolished to make way for a new one.

Maritime traffic is now scheduled to be closed from 7 a.m. Feb. 6 to 7 a.m. Feb. 9. The Coast Guard says additional preparations need to be made for the removal of the nearly 90-year-old bridge span. The span will be placed on a barge and removed.

The Coast Guard says the demolition also is weather-dependent and could be delayed again.

Plans call for the bridge to be removed starting Jan. 30.

The bridge connects Portsmouth, N.H., to Kittery, Maine. A replacement is planned for July 2013.